Electric heater



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L. F. HYNES ELECTRIC HEATER Filed Jan. 29, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l IWI I DRAIN HOT COLD E Uw 7 INVENTOR Zee Hui/ws A1/5I. Y/

ATTORNE Dec. 25, 1934. P HYNES ELECTRIC HEATER Filed Jan. 29, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR BYZee i? Hynes A'rgg v L. P. HYNES ELECTRI C HEATER Dec. 25, 1934.

Filed Jan. 29, 1932 5 SheecS-Shee't 3 INVENTOR Patented Dec. 25, 1934 UNITED STATES kPATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC HEATER Lee P. Hynes, Philadelphia, Pa.

Application January 29, 1932, Serial No. 589,735

` 19 Claims. (Cl. 21S-38) For a detailed description of the present form These flat stiffened tubes serve as open ended of my invention, reference may be had to the cells, being sealed externally by welding to the following specification and to the accompanying wall of their container in the aforesaid chamber,

drawings forming a part thereof, wherein but opening internally to the atmosphere for the Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my heater; reception and removal of the electric heating ele- 5 Fig. 2 is a vertical section thereof; ments. Other features of my present invention Fig. 3 is a horizontal section thereof; will appear hereinafter. Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are enlargements of the im Referring to the drawings, A represents an outportant details; er casing separated by insulation from the inside l0 Fig. 7 showsa modification; regular heater casing B. The casing B extends l0 Figs. 8 and 9 show details. below its arched bottom G to form an underneath My invention relates to an electric heater compartment in which I locate the heating apwherein the heating member consists of fiat holparatus. This apparatus consists of a cylindrical low tubes or cells carrying thin heater elements, container S enclosing the flat cells D and E. These so constructed and arranged as to insure a rapid cells are shown on a large scale in Figs. 4. and 5 l5 heat transfer with a low gradient of heater temand are formed by compressing a round pipe to Iperature, and the presentation of the least active the flat form shown. These flat cells being exheating surfaces to the erosive action of the uid posed internally to atmospheric pressure and excurrent set up by the convection. ternally to the tank pressure, would, if too thinly In my application for patent, Serial No. 379,381, constructed, soon becorneclosed by the external 20 filed July 11, 1930, I have shown aliquid-heating pressure, which would force their two flat sides system characterized by the performance of the into contact with each other. To avoid this verheating in a separate chamber underneath the tically disposed stiffening ribs K may be welded main body of the heater. From this underneath on the outside of D and E at intervals, which exheating chamber the liquid, after being heated, is tend across the vertical sides of D and E. The 25 piped up to the top of the main heater, While ribs-K.- also serve to provide extended surfaces for from the bottom of the said main heater the conducting heat to the uid, and further, to re- Cooler Water OWS dOWIl t0 the heating chamber duce the gradient `of the heater temperature. Said aforesaid there to he reheated and in turn piped ribs may be omitted without departing from the up again to the top. I draw off hot water from spirit of theinvention, it being preferred to em- 30 the said top of the main heater, preferably by ploy them onlyiwhen the metal, of which the fiat an ihteIiOl pipe Which leads flOm there down cells are constructed, is too thin to normally stand alOIig parallel With the 11p-genie pipe aforesaid. the pressures, or where it is desirable to increase My present invention relates to certain imthe heating surface and reduce the temperature DlOVemeIltS 0h my aforesaid heating SYStem, algradient. It should be noted'that these ribs have 35 though hOt limited theretO- In particular, I C011- their huid heating surfaces in a vertical line, so struct the electric heater with a series of flat as to be washed by fluid currents, and that they Stiffehed heater tubes 01' cells, meuni'ed With their present their smallest surface in the line of preflat sides vertically disposed ih the fluid t0 he cipitation of sediment, in the same manner that hea-ted.. Said heater tubes O1' celle are Open t0 the hollow tubular members do. Then on the re- 40 the atmOSDhele, Whel'ehy electric heating elespective ends cf D and E, I weld discs O and P, "ments may be readily inserted into and removed which close respectively the tWo ends'of the cylinfrom said stiffened tubes or cells Without diS- drical container S but are perforated by Windows turbance of the liquid container into whichl they J, J, that receive the ends of the flat tubes or project. By this arrangement, the Wider vertical eens D and E which are welded to the discs at the 45 surfaces are constantly and so effectively scoured windows therein through which they pass. The by the iillid currents, that they are kept free 0f discs O and P are then welded at their peripheries scale and similar deposits of the type commonly to the respective ends of the cylindrical container given up by Water and Other fluids While being S. This leaves the two ends of D and E open to heated. A further advantage is that any such the atmosphere and flush with the outer faces of 50 accumulation of scale and the likev is confined to discs O and P. In the upper side of said conthe top; thinedge of the fiat tube or cell, at a tainer S a hole is cut and around this hole, but location where its presence has little or no inspaced from it, is welded to the outside of S a Sulating, 0I O thei detrimental effect, because this short upright tube V, and into said hole is welded 56 is the smallest and least active heating area. a downwardly projecting tube V1, as is best shown 5 in Fig. 5, which reaches nearly to the bottom of container S.

This provides a unitary heating structure, composed of the open-ended flat tubes D and E, the stifiening ribs K thereon, the discs O and P, the cylinder S, the tube V standing upright above said cylinder, and the tube V1 projecting down into said cylinder. This structure is placed in the said space underneath the tank casing B, with the open ends of D and E in line with doors F, F formed in the outside casing A and in the downward projecting wall of tank B below the arched bottom C.

The upright tube V projects up into the bottom of the tank B being screw threaded into a ring GV that is Welded in the bottom plate C of said tank.

Thus the lower end of said casing B terminates in a separate heater consisting of the transverse cylinder S, inside of which cylinder are the openended flat cells D and E, with their flat sides vertical, While the interior of said cylinder S, outside of said tubes D and E and the ribs thereon, communicates at its bottom with the interior of casing B through the aforesaid downwardly projecting tube V1.

As a result of this construction the cooler water in the lower part of tank B can flow down, through tube V, into the bottom of the space Within cylinder S and surround, in said space, the outside of the ribbed flat cells D and E containing the removable heater elements. This water in cylinder S will become heated and, when so heated, I pipe it ofi to the top of tank B by means of a pipe N which passes up, from said space within cylinder S, through the upright tube V, but is located eccentrically therein, to the top of the tank. This pipe N establishes a circulation route, the heated water flowing constantly up from cylinder S by said pipe N to the top of the tank. The water in the tank will continue to gain in heat until the thermostat acts and shuts off the iiow of electric current in the heating coils.

While the hotter water from the top of the tank might be drawn off therefrom directly for service purposes, I prefer to draw it off by means of an interior pipe R which leads from the top part of the tank down through the aforesaid upright tube V and the downwardly-extending tube V1 to and thence through the bottom of cylinder S, to the outside faucet pipe W below the cylinder. This passage of the pipe R through the bottom of cylinder S occasions the use of a screw connection, the pipe R being screwed into the top of a ring or nipple T, and into the bottom of ring T is screwed the faucet pipe W, while the ring T is itself screwed into a ring M welded to the bottom of cylinder S. At most of the other joints in my construction I am able to weld the parts together and make them practically integral.

The electric heaters which I employ are shown in Fig. 4 inside of the flattened tubes D and E. They are at, rectangular, metal-clad pieces, say 21/2 inches wide, of an inch thick and 14 inches long. Inside of the metal skin are the resistance wires, embedded in fire and water-proof insulation, and the outside terminals are shown at one end at X and Y. These pieces can be readily slipped into or out of the open ends of the aforesaid iiat cells D and E through the door F in the outside case A and the wall of casing B and the door closed behind them. Above this door F in casing A is a smaller door Q in the outside casing A through which a thermostat Z may be inserted and lie inside the closed door Q against the inner casing B and within the intervening layer of insulation. A suitable framing U may encircle these doors on the outside of casing A to carry the door hinges and give finish to the appearance of that casing.

The above-described electric heater, consisting of flat, reinforced, open-ended cells exposed on one side to the water or other liquid, and on the other, atmospheric, side capable of receiving removable heater cells may be utilized in other ways than that above described. For example, in Fig. 7 I have shown two groups of such coils welded directly into the wall of a tank B at different levels, instead of being placed inside a separate container S that communicates with the tank.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. An electric heater comprising a tank, an external chamber located below said tank, a flat cell supported by the wall of said chamber and having an outer end open to the atmosphere, said cell being extended horizontally into said chamber with its side surfaces disposed vertically, the cell being so constructed and arranged that conveetion current iiow within said chamber will travel transversely of and approximately parallel with the wider surfaces of said cell and will expose to the erosive action of such current fiow a maximum heating area for a'minimum distance of current travel, whereby deposited accumulation is confined to a narrow edge of each pocket, and an electric heater unit insertible into and removable from said cell through the open end of the latter, said unit having terminals insertible and removable therewith, and means establishing fluid communication between said tank and said chamber.'

2. In an electric fluid heater, a container, a fiat cell sealed inside of the container and open at one end to the atmosphere, said cell being extended horizontally into said chamber with its side surfaces disposed vertically, the cell being so constructed and arranged that convection current ow within said chamber will travel transversely of and approximately parallel with the wider surfaces of said cell and will expose to the erosive action of such current flow a maximum heating area for a minimum distance of current travel, whereby deposited accumulation is confined to a narrow edge of each pocket, and ribs arranged transversely of the flat surfaces of said cell and approximately parallel with said current iiow.

3. An electric heater comprising a tank, a cylindrical container below said tank, means constructed and arranged to establish intercommunication between said container and said tank, a at cell extended into said tank and supported by a wall thereof, said cell having an end open to the atmosphere, said cell being extended horizontally into said chamber with its side surfaces disposed vertically, the cell being so constructed and arranged that convection current flow within said chamber will travel transversely of and approximately parallel with the wider surfaces of said cell and `will expose to the erosive action of such current flow a maximum heating area for a minimum distance of current travel, whereby deposited accumulation is coniined to a narrow edge of each pocket, and ribs arranged transversely of the fiat surfaces of said cell and approximately parallel with Vsaid current flow.

4. An electric fluid heater comprising a iiuldreceiving chamber, a plurality of thin flat heater pockets each having an open end attached to a walll of Vsaid chamber, said pockets being extended horizontally into said chamber and with their wide surfaces disposed vertically,l said pockets being so yconstructed and arranged that convection current flow vwithin Vsaid chamber. will travel transversely of and approximately parallel with the wider surfaces of the pockets and will also expose to the erosive action of said currents a maximum heating area for a kminimum distance of convection current travel, whereby deposited accumulation' is confined to' a narrow edge of each pocket, and. flat metal-cladheater elements complementa-l to said pockets and removably inserted therein.

5. An electric iiuid heater comprising a chamber having one or more slots in a wall thereof, a corresponding number of thin fiat flow-directing heater pockets extended through the respective slots, said pockets being extended horizontally into said chamber with their side surfaces disposed vertically, said pockets being so constructed and arranged as to provide flat parallel owdirecting walls forming iiuid swept vertical heating surfaces parallel to the direction of sediment precipitation, the wider surfaces of the pockets providing a maximum heating areafor a minimum distance of convection current travel,

whereby deposited accumulation is conned to a'narrow edge of each pocket, flat complemental heater elements removably inserted into said pockets and removable therefrom through the open ends thereof, means to conduct cool fluid to the level below the pockets, means for conducting heated luid from the chamber at a level above said pockets, and means for automatically shutting ofi" electric power when the fluid within said chamber reaches a predetermined temperature.

6. An electric fluid heater of the character described compris-ing a pressure vessel, a heat-retaining enclosure for said vessel, a plurality of flat hollow tubular members extended through the wall of said vessel, and projecting horizontally into the interior thereof with their flat sides vertically arranged, said tubular members being open at their outer ends so as to communicate with the outside atmosphere, said pockets being so constructed and arranged that convection current flow within the pressure vessel will travel transversely of and approximately parallel with the wider surfaces of the pockets and will also expose to the erosive action oi said currents a maximum heating area for a minimum distance of convection current travel, close itting flat parallel walled electric heaters removably inserted into the respective tubular members through the openings in the ends thereof and so positioned that their heat delivering walls are in close proximity to the fluid-washed parallel vertical walls of the tubular members, means for introducing cool iiuid below the hollow tubular members, means for removing fluid from above said members, and automatic means for controlling the temperature of the fluid.

7. An electric fluid heater comprising a iluid receiving chamber, a plurality of thin nat heater pockets arranged in vertically spaced relation within said chamber, each of said pockets having an open end attached to a wall of said chamber, said pockets being extended horizontally into said chamber and with their wide surfaces disposed vertically, said pockets being so constructed and arranged that convection current iiow within said chamber will travel transversely of and approximately parallel with the wider surfaces of the pockets and Will also expose to the erosive action of said currents a maximum heating areafor'a minimum' distance of convection -current travel, whereby deposited accumulation is conned to a Vnarrow edge of each pocket, and flat metal-clad heater elements compleniental to said pockets and removably inserted therein.

8. An electrically-heated tank, comprising a container below the tank and communicating therewith, by an upstanding tube, and openended heater cell in said container, a pipe extending upward through said tube irom the container to the top part ofthe tank, and a draw-off 'pipe from the top part of the-tank extending through the bottom of said container.

9. An electric hea-ter comprising a tank, a

separate container having its 'lower part in comlnunication with the lower part of the tank, a heater-holding cell in said container having one end open to the atmosphere, a pipe between the top part cithe container and the top part of the tank, and a draw-oit pipe leading from the top part of the tank through said container to the atmosphere.

10.An electric heater comprising a tank, a separate container outside the tank, an upright tube projecting from the top of said container into the bottom ofthe tank, a second tube extending from the top or said container to the 'bottom internal part thereof, a pipe extending from the top part of said container and through the said upright tube to the top part 'of the tank and means for drawing oil hot water fron the top part of the tank.

ll. An electric water heater tank having horizontal flat heater pockets welded into its shell and vertical reinforcing ribs welded to the pocket walls, said pockets having an external open end to receive flat metal clad heaters, and automatic means to disconnect the power from the heaters when any desired temperature is reached.

l2. An electric water heater consisting of a pressure tank, a plurality of flat tubes welded into the tank shell and having an open end permitting the insertion and withdrawal of thin flat heaters, and a hat tube having a series of vertical ribs to reinforce its walls against a collapsing pressure and to increase its heating surface and to permit the upward thermal flow of water.

13. An electric heater comprising a tank, a circulator beneath the tank, fiat tubes in the circulator, having an external open end to receive ilat metal clad heaters, fins on the outside walls of the iiat tubes, a duct to connect the circulator to the tank with a single pressure joint enclosing passages to conduct cool water down from the bottom of the tank to the lower part of the circulator, and other passages to conduct the heated water to the top of the tank from the upper part of the circulator.

14. An electric water heater having a T shaped circulator in the horizontal portion of which are flat removable heaters in hat horizontal pockets having vertical ribs on their exterior walls, and in the vertical portion of which a plurality of conduits for the passage of water in different directions, the vertical portion serving to attach the circulator to the tank with a single pressure joint.

15. A hot liquid storage tank having downwardly extended walls, a connection near the center of the tank bottom, a horizontal cylinder located within the extended tank walls and attached to the tank by a single vertical conduit projecting from its upper side near the middle, the horizontal cylinder containing ilat water tight heater pockets with one end open externally to receive flat metal clad heater strips, and the vertical conduit containing a plurality of passageways for directing the ilow of liquid between the tank and the cylinder beneath it, vertical tubes extending from the horizontal cylinder to the top of the tank, and a plurality of pipe connections to the bottom of the horizontal cylinder.

16. An electric storage water heater comprising a cylindrical vertical tank having suspended from its bottom near the central axis, a small horizontal container, the attachment member forming a conduit containing passageways and tubes communicating to diierent levels in the storage tank and to different levels in the lower container, with electric heating elements mounted within the lower container.

17. An electric heater comprising a storage tank, a heating chamber beneath the tank connected to it by a vertical tube, a passageway within said tube reaching down into the interior of the container, a second passageway within this tube leading upward from the top of the container and electric heating elements within the container.

18. A iluid heater comprising a cylindrical pressure chamber, a plurality of flat hollow heater members extended into said chamber and arranged with their longest dimensions horizontally disposed, and their side surfaces disposed vertically, so as to confine the heat input to localized strata of liquid, said heating members being so constructed and arranged as to provide parallel approximately vertical flat surfaces arranged to direct thermal flow and to avoid deposit of sediment upon the main heating surfaces and to expose a maximum heating area for a minimum distance of thermal flow of the iluid, thin flat heater elements removably insertible through the open ends of said-heater members, an outer insulating jacket for said pressure chamber, said jacket having an enclosure for the terminals of the heating elements externally of said chamber, and means for supplying cool liquid to a level below the heater members and other means for withdrawing liquid from above the level of said heater members. 1

19. A fluid heater comprising a tank, an insulator enclosure for said tank having chambers therein, a plurality of at hollow heater members extended into said tank and having open ends communicating with the respective chambers, said pockets being extended horizontally into said chamber and with their wide surfaces disposed vertically, said pockets being so constructed and arranged that convection current flow within said chamber will travel transversely of and approximately parallel with the wider surfaces of the pockets and will also expose to the erosive action of said currents a maximum heating area for a minimum distance of convection current travel, whereby deposited accumulation is conned to a narrow edge of each pocket, at metal-clad heater elements complemental to said pockets and removably inserted therein, the chambers in the insulation enclosure being constructed and arranged to receive the electrical connections for the heater elements, and closures for said chambers.

LEE P. HYNES. 

